Publications Conference paper · Delay-tolerant networks · 2026

Deploying QUIC in Challenged Networks: Profiling and Volume-Aware Congestion Control

Oriol Fusté, Juan A. Fraire, Anna Calveras Augé, and Joan A. Ruiz-de-Azua

IEEE International Conference on Wireless for Space and Extreme Environments (WiSEE), Space-Terrestrial Internetworking Workshop (STINT), 2026

Abstract

As communication networks expand into environments characterized by extreme latency and frequent disruptions, reliable data delivery requires Store&Forward (SnF) architectures. While Delay-Tolerant Networking (DTN) has traditionally served as the de facto standard for these challenged networks, there is renewed interest in leveraging the IP suite, specifically the QUIC transport protocol. However, existing literature often evaluates QUIC strictly within Interplanetary Network (IPN) contexts, mixing the fundamental constraints of general challenged networks with the specific architectural issues of a heterogeneous “network of networks.” This paper isolates the generalized challenged network problem to evaluate QUIC's end-to-end transport viability. We identify that while QUIC's internal logic is inherently resilient to delay fluctuations when supported by IP-layer S&F, classic Congestion Control Algorithms (CCAs) critically fail due to unreliable signaling and extreme feedback delays. To address this, we propose a comprehensive deployment strategy that combines rigorous QUIC parameter profiling with a novel, volume-aware CCA. This approach bounds in-flight data to a path's routable volume of data rather than relying on classic congestion signals like loss or delay increase. We validate our strategy through a ns-3 simulation of a dynamic “data mule” topology. Results show that a properly configured volume-aware QUIC/IP stack effectively utilizes available bandwidth without exceeding the nodes' storage capabilities. These findings provide initial evidence that QUIC is a viable alternative to DTN for generalized challenged networks, while delimiting the regime—single-flow, scheduled-contact scenarios with known path volumes—in which the result currently holds.

Cite

BibTeX

@inproceedings{fuste2026quic,
  author    = {Fust{\'e}, Oriol and Fraire, Juan A. and Calveras Aug{\'e}, Anna and Ruiz-de-Azua, Joan A.},
  title     = {Deploying {QUIC} in Challenged Networks: Profiling and Volume-Aware Congestion Control},
  booktitle = {IEEE International Conference on Wireless for Space and Extreme Environments (WiSEE), Space-Terrestrial Internetworking Workshop (STINT)},
  year      = {2026}
}

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